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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’s teenage cricket sensation Kelis Ndhlovu performed well with both bat and ball yesterday to guide the Lady Chevrons to a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Papua New Guinea in their opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, yesterday.
Ndhlovu was the pick of the bowlers with her 3-18 before she returned to score an unbeaten 25 runs in the easy chase. Zimbabwe had bowled out their opponents for 83 runs, with two overs remaining.
The 16-year-old played a key innings as Zimbabwe reached 87/2 in 14.2 overs. Experienced opening batter Sharne Mayers was the top scorer with 33 runs from 28 balls while Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano chipped in with 20 runs.
PNG won the toss and opted to bat first.
But the Zimbabwe women’s cricket team started off well, thanks to some fantastic bowling efforts upfront from Nomvelo Sibanda (2-9) and Precious Marange (2-10).
Sibanda made an early breakthrough when she had Sibona Jimmy (2) caught by Modester Mupachikwa in the first over. Josephine Nkomo got the second for Zimbabwe when she trapped Naoani Vare (9).
PNG were 20/3 after 4.4 overs as Sibanda returned to take another wicket after getting Brenda Tau (3) out for lbw. Marange got two wickets in succession with the scalps of captain Kaia Arua (1) and Pauke Siaka (8) to leave PNG on 41 runs with half their batters out.
Then, Ndhlovu claimed her wickets during the middle overs as PNG slid to 76/8. The 16-year-old took the wickets of Hollan Doriga (9), Ravina Oa and Tanya Ruma who top scored for PNG with 25 runs. No other PNG player managed double figures, apart from Ruma.
Loreen Tshuma also grabbed a wicket before PNG were eventually all out following the run out of Mairi Tom for a golden duck.
Zimbabwe continued with the fine form that has characterised the build up to the competition when the batters started the chase, with Mayers and Ndhlovu easing off the pressure after featuring in a 57-run partnership for the first wicket.
Mayers, who had been dropped by Sibona when she was on 16 runs, could not survive another attempt from Vicky Ara’a, off the bowling of captain Arua, who finished with 2-21. Mugeri-Tiripano was the other wicket to fall, also after playing an important knock.
Zimbabwe women’s cricket coach Gary Brent was delighted by the team’s performance.
“The girls played decently well. The bowlers upfront, especially Nomvelo, just set the whole game up for us and then the batters came out and destroyed what was a small target,” said Brent.
He said the results they have posted in the last few games mirrored the hard work being put in preparation for the games.
“We have a very competitive technical staff that helps them as well as we have prepared very well and the girls have taken that on board and responded exceptionally well. The girls have to take most of the credit because they are doing a magnificent job,” said Brent.
The former Zimbabwe international also made special mention of teenage cricketer, Ndhlovu, who has transformed her form in the domestic game to the national team.
Ndhlovu warmed up to the match with an amazing 6-16 in the nine-run win over Scotland in the final warm-up game on Friday.
“She is exceptionally talented and we are just giving her a few tips here and there and letting her play her sort of game. But it’s also a big job for us to keep her humble, to keep her feet on the ground and I think it’s a big part because how she deals with success, which is inevitable for her, is going to see how far she goes,” said Brent.
The Lady Chevrons are set to face Thailand at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in their second Group B game today. Thailand also opened the campaign with a seven-wicket win over hosts United Araba Emirates yesterday.
Scorecard
Zimbabwe beat Papua New Guinea by 8 wickets
Papua New Guinea 83 in 18 overs (Tanya Ruma 25, Kelis Ndhlovu 3-18, Nomvelo Sibanda 2-9, Precious Marange 2-10)
Zimbabwe 87-2 in 14.4 overs (Sharne Mayers 33, Kelis Ndhlovu 25*, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano 20*)
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